Contact-shoe for electric railways.



PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903.

- W. 1). YOUNG CONTACT SHOE FOR ELBGTRIG:.RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED JAIL 21 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1 10 MODEL.

INVENTOH WllYouny.

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PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903,

- w. n. YOUNG.

CONTACT SHOE FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 21, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

U0 MODEL.

L /N VENTOR W.D.Y0u1

WITNESSES A OHNEYS -T 1 STATES i atented September 8, 1908;. A

PATENT FFICE.

WALT R D. YOUNG, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

CONTACT-SHOE FOR ELEGTRIC RAILWAYS.

er-sandman forming part of Letters resent Ne. 738,649, dated September 8, 1903.

Application filed January 21, 1903. Serial No. 139,961. (No model-l Be it known that I, WALTER D. YOUNG, residing in Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland, have invented a newand Improved Contact-Shoe for Electric Railways, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that type of contact ortrolley shoe mechanisms more particularly adapted for use in third rail and sectional-conductor systems in which the third rail is disposed adjacent to and parallel with the regular trackways and the saidinvention'se'elrs to provide a current-pick-up mechanism of thecharacter stated embodying a simple but stable construction that will'positively operate and i make the desiredcontact in a manner such as will absolutely prevent any danger of the contact between the shoe and the rail being broken.

My invention in its generic nature comprehends a novel construction of contactshoe, including a hanger or supporting frame,

and a means cooperatively connected therewith for sustaining it from the truck-frame in such manner as to permit a free lateral vertically and longitudinally rockable action of the shoe or contacting member, whereby to accommodate the said shoe to the different irregularities of the rail and without danger of breaking the current or rocking.

In its more complete nature my invention includes certain special features of construction especially designed for maintaining perfect insulation of the several current-cone Veying parts from the supporting means and to provide for carrying a current of very high amperage.

In its more subordinate features my in-f vention consists in certain details of construc-; tion and peculiar combination of parts, all

of which will hereinafter be fully explained, and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in" which-- Figurel is a side elevation of my contact shoe mechanism and illustrates the correlation ofthesame with the truck-frame to which it is attached. Fig. 2 is an end elevation'thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same. "Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section taken practically on the line 4. 4: of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the wear-plate or shoe-carrying frame.

In its practical construction my invention embodies an insulator head-block B, from which ispendently supported a holder A,

that carries the contact-shoe, and the said block is supported on the main frame 0 and held thereon for vertical movement for a purpose presently explained.

In the practical adjustment of the several parts the upper end of the head-block B is projected under the laterally-extending pendent flange d, which extends entirely around the sides and end of the block B and which is an integral part of the hanger-casting D and the said flange d has for its purpose to shed the water from the block B and to act as aguide for the upper end of the said block, as shown.

The casting D is pendently supported under the cross member a of the main frame 0, and it is held in a proper position relatively to the said frame G by the bolt or spindle E, that risescentrally from the casting D and which has a bearing in the aperture c in the cross member 0 and is held for vertical movement in the long bearing a in the vertical portion 0 of the main frame 0. The upper end of the spindle E terminates in a threaded tap e and is adapted to receive a stop-nut 6 which limits the drop movement of the casting D and the several parts pendentlysupported therefrom. The cast- ;ing D is held from rocking in a horizontal plane and maintained in a fixed longitudinal position relatively to the frame 0 by guidebolts 0Z one of which extends upwardly from each end of the casting, and the said bolts pass through guide-apertures in the cross member 0 of the frame 0, as clearly shown in member 0 is integrally formed with the frame 0 having laterally-projecting portions C (l at the upper and lower ends held to straddle the bumper H, and the said extensions are.

apertured to receive the bumper-bolt I, which bolt is insulated from the frame 0 by the insulated washers h and the sleeves h. To hold the frame 0 and the parts carried thereby in a proper longitudinal plane with the bu mperbolt, the said frame is firmly braced through the medium of the truss-rod J, one end of which is made fast to the journal-box casting of the adjacent truck-wheel and its outer end secured by the adjustable eyebolt j to the cross. member a of the frame 0, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The head-block B is provided at each end with a pair of vertical apertures 12 b, the upper portions of which are enlarged to formv sockets b b to receive the heads of the hangerbolts 10 10, that carry the shoe-holding frame A, which frame is U-shaped in cross-section and is securely clamped 011 and to move with the head-block by the lock and jam nuts 10 10". The head-block B is also provided with an additional set of apertures b 19 the lower portions of which are enlarged to form sockets b to receive the heads of the hanger-bolts 1212, that support the head-block from thecasting-frame D.

By combining the frames D and A and the A the frame and the block 13 independent of the casting D is provided for, and in the event the lift of the frame A and block B is excessive a limited free vertical movement of the casting D with the block B is provided for,

' the casting D acting as a buffer by reason of the position of the spring F around its central spindle, as shown.

the longitudinally-extended flanges n n of the casting N, and the said bolts form the, supporting-means for the casting N, and to join the casting N with the bolts M, so as to cause the two members M and N to swing in unison, each flange n n is formed with oppositely-projecting hubs 'n n, whereby to produce long bearings for the bolts M, and also seat portions n to receive the inner ends of the stout coil-springs O 0, carried upon the.

bolts and having their outer ends engage washers m which abut the inner faces of the ears a 00 as clearly shown in Fig 4.

The casting N is formed with laterally-projecting horizontal portions N to oppose similar portions 19 on a hanger-frame-P, which is made fast to the flanges N by the nuts and bolts p The hanger at the lower end carries a horizontal longitudinally extended plate 10 the ends of which arebeveled to engage the undercut edges r of the contact or rubbing shoe R. The shoe R is made fast to the plate 19 by the upwardly-tapering rivets 10 as clearly shown in Fig. 1, from which it will be apparent that by reason of the tapering rivets the wear on the shoe will tend to maintain a rigidconnection between the shoe and the plate 1).

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

it is thought that the complete construction and the manner in which my'invention operates will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

It will be noticed that the means for sustaining the-shoe provides a stable and strong construction of parts capable of transmitting current of excessively-high amperage with little or no leakage. Furthermore, ample means is provided for permitting the shoe to rise vertically to suit the vertical inclines and irregularities of the conductor rail. The

shoe-hanger by reason of the mannerin which it is connected to the head-block B and the peculiar support of the casting N in the U- shaped hangerA will rock freely in a longitudinal'direction without affecting the headblock, the casting D,or the holder A. Further- I more, by reason of the manner in which the casting D is supported, the shoe-carrying portions are so 'hung that they will move laterally to accommodate the curves or lateral irregularities of the conductor-rail, and by reason of the buffer-springs O a uniform side pressure on the frame N and the shoe-hanger will be maintained, so as to hold the shoe to properly engage and contact with the conductor-rail when in its different lateral positions. The several parts are so combined and detachably connected that should one portion thereof wear or become broken it can be readily replaced without disarranging the entire structure. v

While the special construction of parts disclosed in the accompanying drawings shows a preferred construction, yet I desire it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction shown, as they may be varied or modified without departing from frame, said hanger-frame including a shoecarrying portion rockable in a vertical plane,

a shoe carried thereby, means for normally adjusting the hanger-frame to bring the con- .tactingface of the shoeinto engagement with the conductonrail. a a i v 2. A contact shoe of the character described, comprising a main frame, ahangerframe hung on said main frame and adapted for vertical ,motion thereon, said hangerframeincludingaportion longitudinally rockable and laterally movable and means for forcing the contacting face of the shoe against the conductor-rail. V a

3. A current-collector, comprising in combination with the buffer-block, a main frame connected thereto, said frameincludinga vera tically-extending portion, a hanger-frame hanger-frame to its depressed position, and.

supported on the main frame, and having vertical motion, means for normally holding the a shoe-carrying member supported in the erallymovable; a contact-shoe carried by the frame N, and means for sustaining the frame hanger-frame for lateral movement and longitudinally-rocking motion, as set forth.

4. In a current-collector of. the character described, the combination with the hangerframe A, and means for supporting it from the car-body; of the'frame N supported in the frame A, longitudinally rockable and lat- N with the contacting shoe in a depressed position, as set forth.

5. The combination with the head block B, and means for supporting it from the oarbody, and the U -shaped hanger A; of the cross-bolts M rockably mounted on the U- shaped frame A, the hanger-frame N mounted on the bolts M, the springsO O, and the shoe-plate connected to the hanger-frame, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a current-collector as described, the mainsupporting-frame O, includingthe base portion a, the casting D, having a central and end guides slidable in the frame portion 0, an

insulated head-block suspended from the casting D, a hanger-frame suspended from thehead-block, and a shoe-carrier mounted on the hanger for lateral movement and vertically-rocking motion, as set forth.

7. In a current-collector as described, the

combination with the main frame. O, saidv frame including a vertical portion having a central bearing extending its length, a cast ing having a spindle to fit the said central bearing, said spindle having vertical movement 'with the said bearing, a stop at the upper end of the spindle to limit the drop movement of the casting, a bufier-spring for forc- 

